Buying guide

For those of you who love to watch movies and videos on your computer, one of the most basic requirements is a large monitor that displays crystal clear pictures. The days of CRT displays are gone now and the least that you need for world class display is an LCD monitor. LCD monitors, or Liquid Crystal Display monitors as they are known as, come as part of the modern computers. However, you may not get the best LCD monitor when you purchase your computer. It actually makes sense to invest in this computer monitor and you will immediately see that there is a huge difference in the quality of display.

Choosing your LCD Monitor

Should you buy an LED or an LCD monitor?

When it comes to display options, most people consider LDCs and LEDs. You also need to decide between the two. When you compare an LED v LCD monitor, you should know that both use the same technology. However, LED technology ensures that the monitor panels are thinner and consume less electricity to run. When you compare LCD v LED monitor, you will also come to know that the latter uses backlighting, resulting in better display. However, there is nothing wrong with the display on an LCD screen and for your personal use, it is more than good enough. The big benefit that you get in LCD monitors is in the cost – LCDs are considerably less costly than LEDs.

LCD monitor screen size and resolution

Now that you know that an LCD monitor will do well enough for you, the first two points for you to consider in this product segment are size and resolution. If you want a superb display on your monitor, you should look at a bigger size of the screen. A 27” LCD monitor is an excellent option in this regard. As far as the resolution is concerned, 1080p is excellent for smaller sized LCD monitors, say 23”. However, if you are planning to invest in a 27” LCD screen, then you should look at a resolution of 2560x1440 – the pictures will be razor sharp. For internet browsing, you may also look at a resolution of 1920x1200 – here you get the same quality sharp pictures as 1080p resolution but the extra 120 pixels vertically make web browsing more fun.

The three panel options in LCD monitors

There are different types of panels available in LCD monitors and you should know about them. The most economical panels are the Twister Nematic or TN panels and these are the default panels used in most LCDs. These panels are great for gaming but you may get a distorted picture at certain viewing angles. Vertical Alignment or VA panels are mid-range LCD panels and produce the best black. However, if you get the viewing angle wrong, you may still get distorted images. In-Plane Switching or IPS panels have the best colour accuracy and are great for graphic designers. However, their response time and refresh rate may not be the best for gamers.

Higher refresh rate for gamers

For gaming enthusiasts, refresh rate is an important consideration in LCD monitors. Most of the LCD monitors have a refresh rate of 60Hz (which means 60 frames can be displayed per second). For avid gamers, this is not enough and if you are one of them, you should look at an LCD monitor with a refresh rate of 120Hz. Only keep in mind that the refresh rate is applicable in TN panels and you need to here decide between the panels too.

LCD monitors with connectivity options

Since your LCD display will be used for multiple purposes, it should have all the connector options that you need. There should be an HDMI port along with a USB port and so on. As you browse through the products, you should be able to find out about this point easily.

Two more considerations in LCD monitors

The last two elements to consider are stand and swivel options and anti-glare coating. You may want to look at a monitor that can swivel from side-to-side or can be tilted so that you get a portrait mode. Anti-glare coating is important if your monitor is placed in an area where light comes on to the screen.

Which LCD monitors for which use?

It is a good idea to go through the bestselling LCD monitors in the Canadian market. In that regard, the top five models for you to consider are LG 34UM67, BenQ XL2411Z, LG 27MP47HQ-P, DELL UltraSharp U2414H and LG 29UM57-P.

If you are interested in TN panels, the best models include ASUS VE248H, ASUS VH238H, ASUS VE247H, ASUS VE278Q and Acer S220HQLbd 21.5" LED LCD Monitor. Keep in mind that all these five monitors mentioned here have a resolution of 1920x1080.

LCD monitors with 16:10 aspect ratio are uncommon and if you are interested, look at DELL UltraSharp U2412M.